Flushometer.



n. M. MCLAUGHLIN.

FLusHoMETER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17| l9l4.

1,161,781. y PatentedN0v.23,1915

A3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Xml

, im @www rfi, A By Arme* y D. M. MCLAUGHLIN.

FLUSHOMETER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I7. I9I4.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEEP 2.

Wl TNE SSE S To all 'whom may concern.'

UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEiicE.

`v DANIEL M. MOLAUGHLIN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FLUSHOMETER.

Be it known that I, DANIEL M. McLaUcm LIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain' new Improvements in Flushometers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exacty description. of the inveni tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates toflushometers and has for an object to provide a? flushing device which will operate in conjunction with service pipes varying in size from the mini- V mum tothe maximum in present use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device having a storage receptacle for air .and water to constitute a force for actuating a valve to open a valve chainber and admit a iushing charge to a bowl.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve chamber containing a valve designed to be operated by a stored up charge of air and water -against the pressure of water in a regular service pipe and also the pressure of water in an auxiliary pipe arranged to combine .with the water from the4 service pipe to` approximately' fillthe'valve chamber when it is opened, the capacity of which is greaterthan the combined capacity of the service and storage A further object of the invention is to provide a' flushonieter having an automatic controlling valve between a bowl and a service pipe and designed to be opened and closed by the pressure inthe pipe.

A further object of the invention jis to provide an automatic valve for regulating a supply of water between a service pipe and a bowl and in conjunction with a storage 'receptacle containing a charge of air and water for operating the' automatic valve and connected with the same by a manually. operative self-closing valve, the storage receptacle and the automatic valve being in direct connection with the service pipe and p with an additional storage pipe for increasing the amount of water to be delivered to' A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic discharge valve interposed between a bowl and a service pipe and controlledby compressed air and water from a receptacle connected with the valve Specication'of Letters Patent. l

controlled by a swinging check valve and` the voutlet connectinglthe storage'chamber with a flushing valve controlled by a manually operative self-closing valve.

With these and other objects in View the invention consistsv in certainl novel features of constructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed September 17, 1914. Serial No. 862,203.

' and with the service pipe, the compressed in the accompanying drawing, it being4 unv derstood that various changes in the forni,

proportions and minor details of the devi'cel may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation and lpartly in section.

an `enlarged detail sectional view of a valve shown in Fig., 1. Fig. 4sis a view in sectional elevation of a slightly modied form of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several igures of the draw-p -connected with a reducer 19, provided with a plug 20. Mounted on the reducer 19 is a short pipe 21, which in turn is connected with a T 22, to which are connected pipes 23 and 24. Upon the pipe 24 is secured a reducing L 25, to which is attached an air v Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is and water storage chamber 26, which is connected with' another reducing L 27. A solid plug 28 has one vend secured to the small end of the reducing L 27 andthe other end to a coupling 29. l '1he'purpose of the solid plu 28 is to close one end of the reducing `L 2 and to partly support a. self-closing valve 30. The self-closing valve 30 is provided with a handle 31 for operating the valve. The valve 30 is connected to a pipe 32 by a union 33 and toa pipe 34 by a coupling 35. To the pipe 34 is connected the large end of a reducing L 36, the small end of which is connected to a reducer 37, which is connected to a reducing T 10 by a .pipe 13. The pipes 32 and 23 are secured to the T 38 which is provided with a short pipe 39, to which is secured a swinging check valve 40, arranged to open in an upward direction. The swinging check 40 is connected to the five-way fitting 15 by means of short pipes 16 and 41 and a union 42. The five-way fitting 15 is provided with an inlet 43, adapted to be connected with a water supply pipe to furnish water for iushing the bowl 12. A short pipe 18 con- Spaced between the reducing L 36 and the reducer 19 is a valve 49 which consists of a piston head 50, mounted on hollow stems 51 and 52 and two other piston heads 53 and 54 both of which are mounted on a hollow stem 55 withthe piston head 54 being connected additionally to a hollow stem 56, closed at the outer end. Upon the outer end of the stem 51 is secured a cap 57 with an opening 58 in the end thereof to receive a sliding member 59. The sliding member 59 is provided with a circular portion 60, somewhat smaller in diameter than the opening 58 and adapted to move longitudinally within the opening. The sliding member 59 is provided at its inner end with a collar 61, larger in diameter than the opening 58 and adapted to secure the member 59 within the cap 57. The sliding member 59- is provided With a shoulder 62, adapted to form a seat upon the end of the cap 57. A spring 63 is interposed between the sliding member 59 and the hollow stem 55 to move the sliding member outwardly within the opening 58 as soon as 'the valve 49 moves to the right from its normal position. This movement of the valve causes the cap 57 to slide on the circular portion 60 for the purpose of keeping this member 'free from particles of matter tending to lodge thereon and to clog the opening 58. A sliding action of the member 59 is again accomplished at each fiushing of the bowl by the action of the water in the pipes after the bowl has 36 from being closed by the sliding member and to hold the sliding member against outward movement while the valve 49 and the cap 57 connected therewith are returning to their eXtreme left-hand position.

In a modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 4 all of the parts are the same as 4those shown in the other views with the exception of the air and water storage chamber and the valve chambers, which, instead of being formed of commercial members are each cast in one piece. In the case of the storage chamber.65 in Fig. 4 the reducing Ls 25 and 27 are omitted 4and instead the ends are formed integral with the chamber. In the valve chamber in Fig. 4 an integral member 66 is provided with the small end closed by a plug 67, and the large end by a bushing 68, which also receives the reducing L 36. A seat for the piston-head 53'consists of a ring 69, held in position by a pin 70 passing through the wall of the valve chamber and engaging the ring. In theA modified form of the invention the construction other than above noted is identical with the preferred form and the same will be readily understood without further description.

In my improved device,.including the preferred and modified forms, the operation is as follows: Before water is turned into the flushometer a certain amount of air is held in the pipes leading to the flushometer and in the flushometer itself. When the water is admitted to the pipes it forces air into the storage chamber 26 in Fig. l and 65 in Fig. 4, and into the storage pipe 45 which also receives air through the swinging check 46. This air is held under compression by the pressure of the water in the' flushometer and the air and water in the storage chamber is held therein by the swinging check to later beused for operating the valve 49. It will be seen that the piston head 53 is larger in diameter than the piston head 54, and it is thus obvious that the water in the five-way fitting and in the pipes connected therewith together with the pressure'of the water on theback of the piston head 54 will normally keep the valve in a closed position as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. It will also be seen that the piston head 50 is larger in diameter than the piston head 53,- and that upon opening valve 30 and adlmitting water to the piston head 50 under the pressure of airv in the storage chamber 26, the valve 49 will be forced to the right until the piston head 53 moves past the end to enter and flush the bowl. The area of the connections leading from the five-way fitting to the bowl is considerably more than the combined areas of the storage and sup ply pipes furnishing water to the bowl through the connections. This insures an unobstructed delivery of the water to the bowl and also serves to provide a practically noiseless 'lushometer by discharging the water from the small into the larger pipe leading from the {ive-way fitting. As a supply pipe of the regular service size will not furnish enough ywater at a v given moment to supply the large connections leading from the lfive-way itting to the bowl, vthe storage pipe 45 has been lprovided and connected with the five-way fitting so that lat the moment the, piston head 53 opens the valve chamber leading to the bowl, the supply of water from the regular service pipe is sup- `plemented by a quantity from the storage pipe suliicient to approximately fill the enlarged connections and to furnish the bowl with the necessary amount for flushing in the time allotted. The water from the storage pipe is discharged bythe compressed air held in the end of the pipe, which is suflicient to deliver the supplementary charge of water to the bowl at the moment the piston head 53 opens the valvechamber. Thef piston, head 54 carries substantially equal pressure on each side thereof and therefore the pressure does not interfere with the movement of the valve 49, except when the bowl is being flushed and the pressure in the live-way fitting has been greatly reduced, at which time the pressure on the right of the head 54 is much greater than on the left, and consequently such press ure'is utilized to return the valve- 49 to its normal or closed position together with a certain amount of pressure on the right of the piston head 53. The piston head 54 also acts as a guide to holdthe piston head 5 3 and stem in alinement with piston head 50 and-stem 52. The swinging check'valve y 40 is so arranged as to open in an upward direction to admit,air and water to be forced into the air and water chamber and into the pipes above the valve. Withthecompressed air and water above the swinging check together with the action. of gravity on the valve, the same will normally remain'closed to hold the charge of air and water in readiness for actuating the valve 49 when the'v self-closing valve 30 is manually opened tol Hush the bowl. At the moment the handle 31 of the valve 30 is lraised the valve is opened and a charge of water under the action of the compressed air inthe chamber is forced against the outer surface -of the piston head 50, movingv the valve 49 to the right a suficient distance to allow water to .pass through the five-way tting from 'the storage pipe and, the regular service pippe quantity of this water during the return of the valve 49 is permitted to leak around the circular portion of the sliding member .59 and through the opening 58 in the cap 57 to the hollow .stem 51 and 52, into the valve chamber and thence to the bowl. This gradually reduces the pressure on the left side of the piston head 50 and insures the return of the valve 49 to its normal position through the pressure on the right .of the piston heads 53 and 54. The piston head 50 is returned to its eXtreme left-hand position by the stem 55 engaging the spring 63, which engages the sliding member 59 and forces it outwardly in the opening 58 until the pins strike the reducing T 36 and begin to compress the spring. 'The cap 57 then moves up to the seat 62 of the sliding mem'- ber and remains in this position until the bowl is flushed again. 'The telescoping of the stem 55 into the stem 52 serves to aline the piston head 50 with the heads 53 and 54 and provides a means for returning the head 50 to its eXtreme left-hand position and means for forcing the heads 53 and 54 to their extreme right-hand position as the valve is moved in the chamber in either direction bythe force of the water in the chamber.

While the device herein described is shown in connection with a bowl it will be obvious that it can equally well be used as a valve for discharging a given amount of water for purposes other than set forth herein. l

What I claim is:

1. In a flushometer, a service pipe, a discharge pipe,l a fluid receptacle connected with the service pipe, a valve normally under the pressure of the service pipe, a storage pipe connected with the service pipe and with the valve for increasing the flushing charge, means for discharging 'the contents of the-receptacle to actuate the valve for admitting the flushing charge from the storage and service pipes to the discharge plpe, and means for automatically returning the valve to its normal position.

2. In aflushometer, a valve chamber, a normally closed valve positioned in the chamber, a service pipe connected with the chamber, a discharge pipe leading from the chamber, a'storage pipe connected with the service pipe and with the chamber, an air and water receptacle connected with the .service pipe and with the'chamber, a 'self closing valve interposed between theair and water receptacle and the vfirst mentioned -nected with the service pipe and with the chamber, a check valve interposed between the air and water receptacle and the service pipe and opening in the direction of the ow of water from the service pipe to the air and water receptacle to prevent the return of water to the service pipe when the receptacle is lilled, a self-closing valve interposed between the air and water receptacle and the valve chamber whereby, when the last mentioned valve is opened a charge of water.

under the pressure of the air in the' receptacle is admitted to the valve chamber to open the valve and allow a charge of water to enter the discharge pipe from the service pipe and means for closing therst mentioned valve after the closure of the selfclosing valve.

4t. In a flushometer, a valve chamber having three diameters, three piston-heads, of corresponding diameters disposed therein, the smaller and intermediate heads being mounted on a stem telescoping into a hollow i stem carrying the larger head, a discharge pipe leading from the chamber between the larger and intermediate heads, a valve seat in the chamber to receive the intermediate head, a water supply pipe entering the chamber between the intermediate and smaller heads, an air and water receptacle connected with the supply pipe through the valve chamber between the intermediate and smaller heads and extending yto the outer face of the smaller head, a pipe connecting the aid and water receptacle with the end of the valve chamber containing the larger head, a manually operative self-closing valve interposed between the air and water receptacle and the larger piston-head, a check valve interposed between the air and 4water receptacle and the supply pipe and opening in the direction of the air and water receptacle whereby, when the self-closing valve is opened a charge of water in the air and water receptacle is prevented from returning to the service pipeand is forced by thcA air in the receptacle through the selfclosing valve into the valve chamber against the larger piston-head, forcing the interme- 4 diate piston-head from its seat and admitting a charge of water from the service pipe to the discharge pipe, and means for gradually discharging the watery admitted to the for the intermediate head and as a medium for 'actuating the intermediate Aand larger heads, the intermediate head serving to nor,-

mally close the valve chamber and the larger` head adapted to receive a charge of water from the air and water receptacle upon the opening of the self-closing valve for the purpose of operating the piston valve to admit a charge of water from the service pipe to the discharge pipe for flushing the same, ahollow stem carrying the larger pistonhead, terminating in the valve chamber and connected with 'the discharge pipe and telescoping over a stem carrying the intermediate and smaller piston-heads, a cap mounted on 'the outer end of the first mentioned stem,

an aperture formed in the cap, a sliding member positioned in the aperture and slightly smaller in diameter than the apertureto allow a sufficient quantity of water from the charge actuating thel larger pistonhead to leak past the head through the stem to the discharge pipe to insure a gradual and positive reduction of the pressure. on lthe head suiiicient to reduce below the pressure of the air and water in the receptacle on the outer face of the smaller head to cause the intermediate head to close the valve after the closure of the self-closing valve, and

means for moving the sliding member inv the aperture to prevent the collection' of matter therein and on the sliding member.

G. In a flushing device, a valve chamber, a service pipe leading to the chamber, a discharge pipe leading from the chamber, an air and water receptacle connected with the service pipe and .with the chamber, a piston-valve mounted in the chamber consisting of three piston-heads of varying diameters, spaced apart and movably connected together, the intermediate pistonhead normally closing the valve chamber under the pressure of -the service pipe, means for admitting a charge of water under the pressure of air from the'air and water receptacle to the larger piston-head, for moving the intermediate head and opening the valve to admit a flushing charge from the service pipe to the discharge pipe, and means for reducing the charge of water admitted to the larger piston-head after the valve chamber has been opened below the pressure onV the smaller head toinsure the closing of the valve after the operation of said means for admitting Water to the larger piston head.

7. In a ilushometer, a valve chamber, a service pipe leading tothe chamber, a discharge pipe ,leading from the chamber, a luid receptacle connected With the service pipe through the chamber and with each end of the chamber, a check valve interposed between the chamber and the receptacle and opening in the direction of the flow of Water to the receptacle, a valve mounted in the chamber -and means for causing the fluid in the receptacle to open and close the valve to deliver Water from theA service to the discharge pipe.

8. In a flushing device, a valve chamber, a service pipe connected with the chamber, a discharge pipe leading from the chamber, an automatic discharge valve positioned in the chamber and normally remaining closed under the pressure of the service pipe, an

air and Water storage receptacle connected With the service pipe and with the valve, means for causing the Water in the storage receptacle to open the valve to admit a flushing charge to enter the discharge pipe from the service pipe and means for automatically conveying kpressure from the storage receptacle to the valve to close the same after the operation of said first-mentioned means.

9. In a flushometer, a service pipe, a discharge pipe, an automatic discharge valve connected with the service pipe and normally remaining closed under the pressure of the service pipe, an air and Water storage receptacle connected With the service pipe and with the valve, a container connected With the service pipe and With the valve for holding a flushing charge supplementary to the service pipe, means for' causing the Water in the storage receptacle to open the valve to admit a ushing charge to enter the discharge pipe from the service pipe and container simultaneously and means to automatically convey pressure from the storage receptacle to the valve to close the same after operation of said irst mentioned means.

10. In a flushing device, a valve chamber, a service pipe leading to the chamber, a discharge pipe leading from the chamber,

a fluid receptacle connected With the serv? fluid receptacle connected With the service pipe through the chamber and with each end of the chamber, a storage pipe connected With the service pipe and with the chamber, a valve mounted in thechamber,

means for causing the Huid in the receptacle to open the valve to admit a flushing charge to enter the discharge pipe from the service and storage pipes and'means for ycausing fluid in the receptacle to close the valve after the operation of said first-mentioned means.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence oftvvo Witnesses.

DANIEL M. MGLAUGHLIN.

Witnesses:

BURRELL C. BURGEss, LEILA S. WETHERTON. 

